Controlling means for spark-generators.



No. 642,869. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

H. N. MOTSINGER.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SPARK GENERATORS.

(Application filed Apr. 21, 1899.) (No Model.)

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THE NORRIS perms co. FNOTD-LITNO. WASHINGTON, a. c.

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica.

HOMER N. MOTSINGER, OF PENDLETON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO NEWELL II. MOTSINGER, OF SIIOALS, INDIANA.

CONTROLLING MEANS FOR SPARK-GENERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 642,869, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed April 21, 1899. Serial No. 713,896. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER N. MOTSINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pendleton, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Controlling Means for Spark-Generators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved mechanical movement by means of which one part mo ving at a variable speed may be caused to move another part at a constant speed.

The principal object of my invention is to provide means for driving at a constant speed a sparking-generator for gas-engines.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the generator-shaft of a spark-generator for gasengines. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one end. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite end.

In the drawings, 5 indicates a driving means moving at a varying speed, and 6 indicates a driven part, the speed of which is to be uniform, in the present case 5 being the fly'wheel of the gas-engine and 6 being the armatureshaft of the generator 8. Generator 8 is mounted on a base 8, which is pivotally mounted on a subbase 9, the axis 10 being substantially parallel to the shaft which car ries the fly-wheel 5.

Mounted upon one end of shaft 6 isa friction-pulley 11, which is held normally in engagement with wheel 5 by means of a spring 12, mounted beneath the generator and arranged to throw said generator about its pivot toward said wheel. Mounted on the other end of shaft 6 is a speed-controlled means or governor 13, having balls 14, carried on the ends of the usual levers 15.

Longitudinally movable upon shaft 6 is a sleeve 16, the inner end of which is connected to the inner ends of levers 15. The outer end of sleeve 16 is arranged to engage the upper end of a lever 17. The lever 17 is pivoted at 18 to the generator 8 upon that side of the axis 10 opposite fly-wheel 5. The inner end of lever 17 engages an adjustable head 19, carried at the upper end of a standard 20, which is secured to the subbase 9 and projects through a slot 21 in the base 8'. The

upper end of lever 17 may be provided with an adjustable socket 22, adapted to receive the outer end of sleeve 16.

The operation is as follows: Friction-pulley 11 is normally held against wheel 5 by means of spring 12. As the speed of shaft 6 is increased balls 14 move out and force sleeve 16 out into engagement with lever 17. Any upward movement of the inner end ,of said lever being prevented by head 19, the force exerted upon the lever will cause a downward pressure at the point 18. This point being on that side of the axis 10 opposite the fly-wheel causes the generator to swing as a whole about axis 10, thus Withdrawing pulley 11 from engagement with the driving-pulley 5. As soon as the speed of shaft 6 decreases sleeve 16 will be gradually withdrawn and the generator swung back into its normal position, with pulley 11 in engagement with wheel 5. By this means the pulley 11 is intermittently thrown out of and into engage ment with the driving-Wheel 5, the length of engagement depending entirely upon the operation of the speed-controlled governor.

In order that the device may be as sensitive as possible, the generator should be nearly balanced through the short arc of movement necessary upon the axis 10. I

It will be readily understood, of course, that the spring 12 may be omitted and that the generator may be so mounted that its own weight or a portion thereof will operate to normally hold pulley 11 into engagement with wheel 5. The proportion between pulley 11 and wheel 5 may be made such that wheel 5 may be turned by hand (as is usual in starting a gas-engine) at such a speed as to'cause generator 8 to produce the necessary current to produce a spark in the engine. With the construction described the speed of shaft 6 will never increase beyond an economical one for producing a spark-current, however, for as soon as the governing-speed is reached pulleyll will be withdrawn from wheel 5 and only intermittently thrown into engagement therewith. The generator will therefore be run at an economical speed, no matter what the speed of the engine may be.

I claim as my invention 1. In a mechanical movement for maintaining a constant speed of a driven shaft, adriving-shaft, a driven shaft operated thereby, a speed-controlled means for intermittently causing a relative movement between the driven shaft and the driving-shaft and thereby throwing the driven shaft out of and into operative connection with the driving-shaft.

2. In a mechanical movement for m aintaining a constant speed of a driven shaft, a driving-pulley, a driven shaft carrying a pulley adapted to engage peripherally the drivingpulley, and a speed-controlled governor can ried by said driven shaft, and means for throwing said driven pulley out of and into engagement with the driving-pulley.

3. In a mechanical movement, a base, a pivotal support therefor, a driven shaft carried on said base, a speed-controlled generator mounted on said shaft, and connections operated by said governor for intermittently swinging said base about its pivot, for the purpose described.

4. In a mechanical movement, a subhase, a base pivotally mounted on the subbase, a driven shaft carried on said base, a speedcontrolled governor mounted on said shaft, a lever pivoted upon the base to one side of the axis thereof and adapted to be engaged by the governor, and connections between said lever and the subbase, for the purpose described.

5. A spark-generator consisting of a generator, aspeed-controlled governor operated by the generator-shaft, and means operated by the governor for intermittently moving said shaft out of and into connection with a driving means.

6. A spark-generator, consisting of a generator, a pivotal support therefor, a speed-controlled governor operated by the generatorshaft, and means operated by the governor for swinging said generator about its pivot and thereby moving the shaft out of and into connection with a driving means.

7. A spark-generator consisting of a generator having a suitable base, a subbase, a pivotal connection between the generator and subbase, a speed-controlled governor carried by the generator-shaft, a lever pivoted on the base to one side of the axis thereof, connections between said lever and the subbase, and connections between said lever and the generator, as and for the purpose set forth.

HOMER N. MOTSINGER.

Witnesses:

FRED. L. GOODRICH, FRANK O. FORT. 

